I didn't need to preserve fish, I just made it part of my routine to catch it then cook it fresh. I made a little pool that I kept my fish in and when I would catch one I would just throw it over in the pool. Fresh is always better. When you eat the same foods all the time you start craving something different, salt helps, it's also good first aid for things like a splinter, you can just soak it in hot salt water. I mostly stuffed the fish to keep it from drying out and to add a little flavor. I always took my boots off to cross the creeks, they aren't that deep and you should always keep your boots dry, just walk easy. The rocks in the creeks are slick. Also you'll need to take a few bars of soap, I suggest Ivory, it floats, and keep it by the creek. You might want to put a point on your hiking stick too. Ginsing grows wild there too and makes a good tea and is good for energy. You'll probably be able to find some crayfish in the sides of the banks of the creeks and if you really can't find any other food at all, you can turn over the rocks in the creeks and find spring lizards. Never tried them and not sure I would, but there's alot of them there.

Good point on the dropping in on ranger stations to get their take on the area, animals, weather, point last seen, and so forth... But I have one concern- If they do highly disagree with what I'm doing, regardless of my determination(possible, right?), would try taking me into custody? Up until now I've thought best to avoid rangers for that exact reason...

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“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

Just a side note about the ginsing, keep all you find. The roots are what you use and any that you don't use, you can sell. It used to bring a pretty good price. If you dont know what it looks like ask just about anyone there. I think everyone in the area knows what it is.

Go ahead and jump but know where your going to land and have a plan on what you're going to do once you get down there.

Exactly. I know it seems like I take a lot of risks, but that wasn't until I had honed my skills to a decent level. I'm not trying to make him a bubble boy, but the earlier analogy to wanting to drive fast without knowing how to drive at all seems very fitting. I just have a very bad feeling about this. I hardly ever get a bad feeling about anything, so when I do I check my six.

Over on the zombie squad forum there's a saying, "We can do this, we read about it on the internet." Learning to survive in the wilds takes time and practice to learn. IDing plants, rigging rainproof shelters, catching/cooking game, purifying water, personally hygine...the info he's recieved on this forum is only a start.

On the plus side, it sounds like he'll be close to help if his stomach remains empty or he comes down with a bad case of beaver-fever.

Alright Sir Fitz- With all due respect to your opinion, and I mean no offense, but I really do hope that was your last post-

I will be leaving as soon as I feel I've gathered the necessary information, which can be no longer than 2 weeks due to my situation(in which the details do not matter, the conditions are simply there). I feel that even now, had I been dropped into the woods with some tools, I would not starve to death, and I would survive a good while.

NOBODY can be totally 100% prepared, should something go wrong- even the most experienced hiker there is- I'm doing what I can....

I'm not stupid, but I think it's stupid to assume and underestimate the intelligence and capability of others, or overestimate my own- which is why I seek advice in the first place. Unless you have advice on equipment, food gathering, campsite setup, navigation or otherwise- Please find another thread to stretch out your fingers >:-(

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“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

Fitzoid is right that the extreme way Dave expresses himself lends itself to the interpretation that Dave is in the "more guts than brains" category.

But unless I have really missed something, the rest of Dave's posts, and the fact that he chose to post, all suggest that he is reasonably practiced and prepared for ordinary hiking and camping.

I agree Dave appears to be rushing final preparations, but no one has made clear what additional training or practice he should do.

I agree protracted time on the trail is way different than what Dave has done so far. But no one has pointed out any extreme and immediate danger that is likely to occur way outside Dave's current experience and gear.

My concern focuses on Dave's lack of judgment. But the trail will teach its hard lessons quickly and it does not appear that Dave will be so far in the back of beyond that he cannot just walk out with the gear he will be taking.

And he's not going to take the few months to train, practice, and upgrade skills and gear, though almost everyone on the forum, including me, would recommend just that. (Longer trips, trying to live off the land for an extended time, etc.)

With reasonable luck and a conservtive approach, I think Dave will survive being molded by the trail, at least I hope so.

Should I succeed in my ultimate goals, my own happiness will be fulfilled. Thing is, things like family, kids, good job, money, all those things cannot hold importance to me, until I do figure out what shot I have at my goals.

Originally Posted By: Chaotiklown

But I'm also weighing in the factor of how many people that I will make life better for, should I succeed.

Could you clarify what your ultimate goals are?

Also, how will life be better for other people (family) if you survive this journey since you have, I perceive, a disregard for them to begin with? They may be happy you are alive, in general, but I'm not sure the wounds of being discarded will really heal. It seems a little contradictory to me.

These questions are asked only for clarification from the point-of-view of a father with a child who is your age.

Your trek for personal enlightment will be arduous and full of rigor.

I honestly wish you success.

Keep us posted

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"Its not a matter of being ready as it is being prepared" -- B. E. J. Taylor

Dave, I wish you well on your quest, as for me lecturing like the others to say do or don't do it is pointless if your mind is set on this. I myself would not do this without a lot of training, practices and trial runs and I would carry a Acr Microfix 406 PLB with me in the event I got myself into something over my head. Carry a good knife and a machete as well as a military grade or equivalent compass and maps. I would suggest doing trial runs before attempting this by going out for a couple a days and try to gather food, shelter, etc.. Then a week next and work it up to where you think you can do this. I really only known of one person that has done this with great sucsess and has moved to the next level is John & Geri McPherson ( http://www.prairiewolf.net/About.html ) and if I was going to even remotely attempt what you are set out to do, I would go learn all I can from this man. He would be the best one to get your skills for what you are going to do. I know of few people with Johns skills and he is (for me) someone I look up to with his ideas. He gears himself to go anywhere in the world, bare naked and can survive beyond a conventional sense to live very comfortably with only his knowledge. He has demonstrated this and is the only one I am aware of who practices what he preaches. Good luck and I wish you well but my advice is training and a safety net in case like a PLB.

When I finally got serious about learning and practicing Primitive Outdoor Skills my one purpose was that I would be able to head “Naked into the Wilderness”. In other words, to enable myself to head into the wilderness and make a comfortable life for myself using nothing but what nature had to offer. Most all of my training and practicing has been in temperate climates which makes it somewhat easier to do this realistically. Tho we get HOT summers and COLD winters there is an in between that makes living under primitive conditions somewhat more comfortable than the extremes. If given enough time to prepare for the extremes then making it thru the tough times is doable.

Over the years Geri and I have made several trips out under Primitve conditions, most times with one or more accomplices, and except for one when the personalities of a coupla members ruined what would have otherwise been a great trip, all have been accomplished successfully. By that I mean that we created or replicated a primitive lifestyle - sometimes from nothing, having headed out with no goods at all and other times embellishing on primitive goods that we took with us. Rules were always the same: 1- no steel of any kind. 2- Modern clothes, if worn, used only to shelter the body - no use of pockets, etc. Rely only on the skills and what resources are offered by nature.http://www.prairiewolf.net/PrimitiveTrek.htm

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